Thanks for stopping by Refresh with Dawn Herring. I hope you enjoy browsing through the postings and get to know me a bit better.
I'm Dawn Herring, host of #JournalChat Live and Links Edition for all things journaling on Twitter and Facebook. I'm also a writer and artist focused on refreshment, journaling, and positive change. Email me at refreshwithdawnherring@gmail.com with any questions or comments you may have. Thanks and enjoy your stay!

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Refreshment is a key component to my daily life. I know the deepest benefits and that's why I always remind folks to refresh themselves daily.

However, it's easy to let a day or two or many more slip by without re-invigorating ourselves in some way; but unfortunately we may experience the "side effects" of not doing so and, maybe, not even realize it.

Such was the case for me recently...

I was having a challenging morning, feeling a bit discouraged, a bit out of alignment and un-grounded. You know how I could tell?

I was feeling doubtful about some things. I was impatient, lacking faith in areas of great importance to me.

(Yes, this is an honest confession.)

I was really wondering what was going on with me; I don't like feeling or acting this way. It's very disconcerting, perplexing and distressing.

So I certainly did NOT want to stay there.
NO.

So I got my journal out and wrote my a.m. entry. After detailing my distress of those minutes I just described, I then switched to my non dominant hand and began to ask what went wrong.

What I wrote came as a complete but revelatory surprise to me.

I had not painted in about three days.

That was it.

You wouldn't think that putting pigment on a paint brush and applying it to watercolor paper or canvas would make that much of a difference, right?

But, here's the truth in a nutshell: I am an artist. It's a huge part of the core of my being. (I continued to journal just this truth when what was next came out in all of its profoundness...)

When I go one day without creating in some way, especially painting, which helps me activate my creative center and stay aligned with Who I Am, I am essentially Rejecting that Core Part of Myself.

Self Rejection!

This really woke me up.

It's easy to point a finger at another and say, this person has rejected me, and put the blame elsewhere.

But in reality, rejection from another is often a reflection of how we are rejecting ourselves and not even know it!

I realized with this revelation of self rejection when not taking the time DAILY to honor Who I Am as an artist, I also came to the conclusion that Daily Authentic Refreshment is even more Vitally Important than I initially realized, for as much as I remind folks to refresh daily.

I understood on an even deeper level what it looks like and feels like to not refresh yourself to nourish the core of your being.

Instead of simply saying to get your guilt free refreshment daily, now I'm saying, Don't reject that Core of Who You Are by letting a day go by without that essential nourishment that is so vitally important to your well being. That cannot be overstated.

I realize that now more than ever before.

So, guess what?
I have painted daily since then, whether in my art journal or on canvas/paper. I finished one painting and started another.

Yes, when I paint daily, not only do I nourish myself, I also get more artistic work accomplished, and have a splendid time doing it.

And it does make a major difference in how I feel: more aligned with Who I Am. I can hear that Intuitive Voice speaking ever so clearly: Go Paint. And I say, Okay, I will!

Accountability: to give a reckoning or explanation for one’s actions, responsible.

When most people think of accountability, they often negatively associate it with answering to others, such as a spouse, a friend, a mentor, or, in most cases, a boss. As a writer, you are your own boss, which is one of the reasons that you need to be accountable to yourself. And it can be a positive experience rather than a negative one.

The first step in being accountable to yourself as a writer is setting goals for your writing and keeping track of projects you want to finish. Incurring a deadline for yourself can help

motivate you in this area. This step can also include daily writing goals. Some authors plan how many words or pages per day they will write.

I’ve set goals for myself as a writer by making them reachable and attainable. This year I have set a goal to write at least one scene for my novel per week and at least one other piece,

whether it be memoir or essay, per week. That can mean just making notes, writing a first draft, or revising a draft.

As long as your goals keep you moving forward and you’re making progress, then you know you’re headed in the right direction.

Once you have your goals set, the next step in accountability to yourself is writing down what you accomplish each day. You can use a daily calendar just for writing or keep track of your

daily accomplishments on your computer. I designed a custom monthly writing calendar. It helps me track what I write daily, whether or not I’ve met my goal for the week, and it has

space for ideas for future writing pieces. I also have a spot to keep track of books I’m reading for that month. I use abbreviations to keep the daily writing easier and to save space. As I review each completed month, I can go back to see what I’ve accomplished and keep track of when I wrote each piece.

Whether you use something pre-made or customize something for yourself, use whatever works for you and helps you stay accountable to yourself.

A third, and perhaps most important, aspect in accountability in your writing is taking care of yourself as a writer. Than can mean giving yourself space and not being hard on yourself if

you don’t reach your goals each day or each week.

Flexibility and refreshment are paramount to your health as a writer. It also frees up your creativity and can actually help you produce more quality writing in the long run.

I enjoy writing in my journal, reading fiction or memoir, and watching a good movie with my family. Taking a walk, listening to music, talking with your family members, and just taking time to sit and enjoy life are all ways you can be good to

yourself—and ultimately accountable—as a writer.

Learn to celebrate your accomplishments and your uniqueness as a writer. That’s one of the best ways to be accountable—to yourself!

A 21 Day Refresh Intensive E-Course!

Dawn is now offering a 21 Day Refresh Intensive Course that enables you to Activate Your Intuition, Honor Your Preferences and Listen to Your Life Messages. It is available for purchase as a downloadable PDF so you can take it any time for your refreshment!

About Me

Dawn is a watercolor and collage artist, writer, Host of #JournalChat Live and Creative and Social Media Consultant. She enjoys sharing insights, humor, and encouragement as she shares from her life experiences. She enjoys keeping a journal and reading spiritual texts to help keep the light on. Hope you enjoy perusing the blog posts and in the process, get to know her a bit better. Enjoy your stay!

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My Website: www.dawnherring.net

You can check out my website: www.dawnherring.net. There you will find info on my writing services, my bio and journaling resources and my book, The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child. Enjoy your stay!

#JournalChat Live on Twitter

#JournalChat Live is on the First Sunday of each month at 4 EST/1 PST on Twitter. Check out my new blog to sign up for Refresh Journal which will give you all the details!

Refresh Sessions Now Available!

If you desire to discover what Your Authentic Refreshment might be so you can enhance and benefit your life, you'll welcome to purchase a 30 minute Refresh Session with Dawn **by phone or Skype, initiating the discovery process toward Your Authentic Refreshment. (A 30 Minute Refresh Session is $75.)

PLEASE NOTE: REFRESH SESSIONS BY PHONE/SKYPE ARE CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE; REFRESH SESSIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE BY AND THROUGH EMAIL.

My eBook: The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child

I'm so excited to share with you my new ebook, The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child.

The Birthday Wall is my detailed, step-by-step instructional book that shows how to create a multi-dimensional, colorful visual collage to help celebrate your child's Birthday. As creator of this family tradition, I share how to research, plan, gather, create and display all the elements of your child's birthday wall which can help affirm, validate, and show appreciation for your child.

Follow this link which takes you to the Parent to Parent page of HSLDA's Home School Court Report. In their Sept/Oct 2009 edition and on this page, My reason for Homeschooling has been published under Dawn H. You're welcome to check it out!